No one sets out to become an addict or ever imagines that they will become addicted to something. Addiction is a means to an end. It usually begins as a way to try something new, to try and get high or maybe just to feel better for a while.

We only become aware we are when we're incapable of breaking the hold it has over our life. But by then it's a problem; and a problem we may have to hide and lie about. Clients often talk about how the addiction can leave them with a sense of shame and guilt.

What comes to mind when you think or hear the words addict or addiction?

For many they think of substance addiction or abuse and typically these may include drink and drugs such as weed, coke, bud, co-codamol and you'd be right. But addicts come in all forms, dependent on many different things, and drink and drugs just being the typical impression of a dependence

More and more through media interest we have come to realise that people from all backgrounds and levels of society develop addictions to
behaviours such as gambling, cosmetic surgery, the internet, facebook, twitter, shopping, computer games, watching TV, relationships and even ordinary and necessary activities such as exercise and eating, and in my office I work with these addictions and more, on a regular basis.

You may have convinced yourself many times that you're not an addict, and on one level that's true. As with any addiction free will has been taken over by a dependence and so any addiction has the power to eventually ruin the addict's life; maybe not today or tomorrow, but eventually it will; and maybe that's where you are now and why you're visiting this site.

How does hypnotherapy help me recover from my addiction?

Working with addicts and addiction several things becomes clear. Addicts don't want to be addicts, and they don't want to throw their lives away. Often they do it because they just want to feel better, they just want to feel normal. They just want to stop feeling everything else for a little while and the addiction gives them that.

Often clients seeking hypnotherapy for addiction are looking for the hypnotist to reprogram them in some way, hoping that I will suggest that the addiction is so unpleasant that they give it up, or that hypnosis will increase their willpower to resist the temptation of their addiction.

As if by relaxing in a chair, me saying close your eyes and in a moment when I count to three everything is going to be better, in a moment when I count to three, you'll have forgotten about your addiction. Do you really think that would work?

If it did work then all you would have to do is listen to a tape or keep reading those positive statement pictures that appear on facebook and you'd be free from your addiction and fully recovered.

Some of that can work for habits, but it doesn't take into account the emotional needs of the addiction.

Getting to the root cause is the key, and that's where hypnotherapy works.

Any help or treatment that doesn't help reveal and then deal with the root cause is doomed to failure or short term changes at best.

Analytical regression hypnotherapy is used to firstly uncover the deeply rooted subconscious blocks and reasons for the addiction that may not be apparent through traditional techniques. Once we get to the emotional root of the need and subsequent addiction, we can cleanse the associated emotion such as hurt, guilt, sadness etc.

Then your unconscious mind will be an open fertile ground for accepting new positive suggestions for change through direct suggestion so that you can live again.

To find out more about the stages and process of change, have a look at the 'The process' and the 'F.A.Q' pages from the menu options above.

If you feel that enough is enough and have reached the end of the road with your addiction and all that it brings into your life. Is it time for you to take that first step to take back control? If so, then call me on 01772 499046, or email me by clicking here.

Is it a habit or an addiction, what defines an addiction?

One definition of an Addiction is the repetition of a behaviour despite its adverse and potentially harmful consequences.

The person's addiction controls their life and becomes more important than anything else, even their own health in some cases. Addicts will do anything to get access to their next dose of choice and will endeavour to cover up their addiction by lying or hiding the evidence.

There are many classic signs and behaviours of addiction include impaired control over substances or behaviour, preoccupation with substance or behaviour, continued use despite consequences, and denial

Often there can be wild personality changes (irritability, impulsiveness, unreliability, anger, diminishing morals or values, chronic lying, etc.) that lead onto alienation of friends and family.

Addiction and the emotions that drive it

Some addicts are more than aware of their addictions and the harms caused by it, but carry on anyway. This can be because they don't feel they can cope without the addiction because they are avoiding dealing with some other issue that the addiction distracts them from, or because they don't know how to enjoy life any other way.

The fact is that people stay addicted to something because it serves a purpose or addresses a need for them; an emotional need is being met and it feels good, it give's them immediate short term gratification.

The addiction might begin as a bit of a distraction, to be part of the scene and have a feeling of belonging, a way to let go of some steam, or me time. This can create a cycle of feel bad then distract. Circumstance may make us feel down, angry, sad or a whole host of negative emotions, so to cope we distract for a while.

It may feel good to forget about the hurt, the anger, the pain for a while. But the kick of the distraction can't last forever and after the high has worn off, the bad feeling is still there, and so off we go again until it becomes an automatic conditioned response. Feel bad, then distract.

The very fact that we are unable to break the behaviour creates more bad feelings and what do we do when we feel bad? We distract, and so more drinking, shopping, gambling, eating... as we spiral down.

You must want to change for you, and you must want to be part of the process

I can't stress that fact strong enough as often the addiction can be fuelled by feelings such as guilt, fear, anger, sadness or feelings of loss, and these feelings are almost always connected to past experiences where the addictive behaviour started.

Working with addictions can be uncomfortable; because they can bring us face to face with the reason we developed them in the first place.

So the key to the success is a real want to change and a willingness and honesty to be open to letting the feelings go, because you can't break a pattern unless you know where it came from.

If you can honestly say that 'I will do whatever I need to do to set myself free from the prison cell of addiction'. Then we can work together to achieve that goal.

How many sessions of Hypnotherapy will I need?

Each person is as unique as the cause of the issue, and as such the number of sessions varies from person to person. Ultimately it comes down to a persons openness to the process.

What's the cost per session?

The cost per session is £60, with each session lasting around 2 hours.

How can I pay for treatment?

Payment is per session and can be paid in cash, debit card, Visa or MasterCard at the end of each session.

What's the next step in putting an end to my addiction?

If you feel that enough is enough and have reached the end of the road with your addiction and all that it brings into your life. Is it time for you to take that first step to take back control? If so, then call me on 01772 499046, or email me by clicking here.

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